Switching Hour
by Miranda Shadowind
Summary: *Chapter 4 has arrived!* In the summer of their 7th year, Fred and George get a strange surprise from Hogwarts. Will it lead to their greatest prank yet, or tear them asunder? Please R/R!
1. Dungbombs and Boxers

The Switching Hour  
Miranda Shadowind  
  
Author's Note: Sometimes I think I should take vacations more often. Usually there's no internet access, but I've come up with some of my best ideas during them, this story included. Enjoy and review!  
  
Chapter 1: Dungbombs and Boxers  
  
It was an average summer morning at the Burrow. Mr. Weasley was half-hidden behind the Daily Prophet, his wife was cleaning up the kitchen, and four of their seven children were halfway through breakfast.  
  
The only ones not present were the three eldest boys still living at home. Percy's empty seat was no surprise, given if he wasn't at the Ministry he was holed up in his room to the point where his mother had to drag him downstairs for meals. But the absence of both him AND the twins could only mean one thing: Trouble with a capital "T."  
  
Up in the attic, the family ghoul banged a drumroll on the pipes in anticipation.  
  
*BOOM-SPLAT*   
  
"AAAAAGGGHHH!!!" Percy. A pause, then  
  
*CLICK!*  
  
Followed shortly by, "FREDERICK GEORGE WEASLEY GIVE ME THAT CAMERA THIS INSTANT!!!"  
  
"You see the look on your face, Perce-" Fred.  
  
"-it was positively priceless!" George.  
  
Laughter, then the sound of three rapid sets of footsteps on the second floor.   
  
The rest of the family, whose eyes had been on the ceiling since the explosion, now focused them on the stairwell. Within a minute, two identical blurs - well, almost identical as Fred still had his camera - raced down into the dining room. Right behind them was Percy, clad only in glasses and boxers and tracking dung. The sight was enough to make their siblings burst out laughing. Mr. Weasley hid behind his paper, sniggering. Their mother, however, was not amused.  
  
At that point, Fred and George split up, each going around a different side of the table. Percy didn't give chase; he didn't need to. Mrs. Weasley was waiting for her delinquent sons at the other end. The pair skidded to a halt upon reaching her, feigning innocence.  
  
"Morning, Mum."  
  
"Lovely day, isn't it?"  
  
"Don't try pulling that with me you two! Honestly, I thought you were above simply dungbombing your older brother by now!" Her tone was mostly exasperation with a hint of disappointment.  
  
Fred shook his head, chuckling. "Of course we are!"  
  
"This was just an experiment-"  
  
"-replaced the regular fuse with a Timer Charm-"  
  
"-worked without a hitch, really-"  
  
"-just ask Percy!"  
  
Mrs. Weasley was unimpressed. "And the camera...?"  
  
"Proof!"   
  
Ron let out a cough that sounded distinctly like, "Blackmail!" Fred and George couldn't help but snigger.  
  
"Blackmail indeed! They just as good as admitted it just now!" Percy cried. "A whole night's work, ruined!" He started to go into one of his long rants, but stopped short when he saw his whole family staring at him, as if noticing him for the first time.   
  
George finally broke the silence. "Really, Percy-"  
  
"-put some clothes on!"  
  
"You're scaring Ginny!"  
  
But Ginny was giggling, being quite used to seeing one or more of her older brothers running amuck half naked by now. Usually it was anyone but Percy, though.  
  
Percy opened his mouth to yell again when there was a tap at the side window. Bill opened it and let in a handful of owls. "Saved by the post!"  
  
Given the amount of them, it was obvious that the usual Hogwarts letters had arrived. Ron's and Ginny's were dropped at their places at the table, while the twins' fell into their hands.  
  
Fred blinked, as his felt heavier than usual. "What the..." He opened the envelope, peered inside, and his jaw hit the floor. "This has got to be a big mistake..."  
  
"What is it?" George peered over his brother and partner in crime's shoulder, then gaped.  
  
For there, next to two pieces of parchment, was a shiny new badge that read "_Head Boy_."  
  
To be continued... 


	2. Second Born, Second Best

Switching Hour  
Miranda Shadowind

Author's Note: This chapter's more serious than the first, but has some subtle foreshadowing and turns into a semi-songfic toward the end.

Chapter 2: Second Born, Second Best  
  
"_Second born! Second best!_" -Teenage Ramses, "Prince of Egypt"  
  
"No way..." George breathed.   
  
"S'gotta be a prank sent by Lee..." Fred rationalized, pocketing his camera. The twins compared envelopes, but the green handwriting was identical, as were the words save the different initials. "He could've bewitched a quill to mimic all that."'_Lord knows we've done it loads of times._'   
  
'_Hehe, yeah..._'"But then why didn't you get two owls instead of one? Ron, Ginny, and me all got ours just now..." _  
  
_"I just don't know..." Fred pulled out his wand and poked it into his envelope. A single spell could settle this once and for all. "_Finite Incantato!_"   
  
Nothing. The silver badge still lay shining within. If not for his mother standing right in front of him Fred would've swore right about now. This wasn't happening - it was impossible!  
  
Ignoring the offending badge, he fished out the two pieces of parchment. The first was his school supplies list, which again included dress robes. Apparently the Yule Ball would be repeated that year. His thoughts drifted to Angelina Johnson, whom he'd asked to the ball the year before. What a night that had been...  
  
"Third Head Boy in the family! Well, let's see the other one, then."   
  
Fred snapped to attention upon hearing his mother's voice for the first time in about ten minutes. And for the first time all morning (or at least since Percy had chased him and George downstairs), it sounded pleased as well as full of pride. Ron on the other hand could be heard mumbling something under his breath.  
  
"Right..." he muttered, stuffing the list back next to the badge and unfolding the second piece, a letter. He skimmed through it, mumbling/quoting various parts in a monotone as he went along. "_...can't have two Head Boys, same House or not..._" Two Head Boys... An evil grin crept across his face for a moment before vanishing as he went on. "Blah blah blah... _Sincerely yours, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin, First Class, _etc., etc... M'surprised they didn't pick you, you're the level-headed one..."   
  
Those last words had been full of sarcasm as Fred turned his head toward where George had been, only to find that his mirror image had backed away, looking hurt and betrayed.   
  
_You and me   
We used to be together   
Everyday together always..._  
  
_I really feel   
That I'm losing my best friend _  
  
Now George knew how Ron felt, sort of. He and Fred had never felt overshadowed by Bill, Charlie, and Percy; they (the twins) had their prankster reputation and unmatched Quidditch skills. George was a minute or so younger than Fred, but they had always been equals, identical good looks aside.  
  
_I can't believe this could be   
The End_  
  
At least until now...  
  
_It looks as though   
you're letting go  
And if it's real   
Well I don't want to know..._  
  
"I am NOT level-headed!!" George snapped, his tone surprising everyone. "We never really were equals, were we?!"   
  
"Of course you're-"  
  
_Don't speak   
I know just what you're saying  
So please stop explaining   
Don't tell me cause it hurts  
_  
"Second born, second best! I should've known..." With that, he stormed back past the table, knocked over a confused Percy, and charged up the stairs.  
  
"George, wait! That's not what I meant!" Fred yelled, racing after him with the envelope still in one hand. The Burrow shook a bit from the furious pounding of feet on its upper floors.  
  
Percy rubbed his head and wound up getting dung in his hair as he rose to his feet. "Aren't you going to do something, Mother?"  
  
Mrs. Weasley shook her head even though she looked worried. "No... No it's probably best they sort this out themselves. If George goes mad over the whole thing those two have brother wands so they won't get far in a duel." Mr. Ollivander had explained the _Priori Incantatem_ effect the same day he'd sold the twins their wands.  
  
"You're not going to repremand them for all that running and the dungbomb besides?!"  
  
_Don't speak_  
  
Ron glared at him. "Shut up Weatherby." 


	3. The Wearer of the Badge

Switching Hour  
Miranda Shadowind  
  
Chapter 3: The Wearer of the Badge  
  
"_Why are you at my side?  
How can I be any use to you now? _

_Give me a chance and I'll let you see how   
Nothing has changed_" 

-"You Must Love Me" (Madonna) 

Upon entering the room he and Fred had always shared, George fell to his knees, panting, shaking, and clutching his chest with one hand. Almost from the moment Fred had started reading Dumbledore's letter, George had felt cut off; isolated. All through their seventeen years together, the pair had easily, almost naturally shared thoughts, feelings, and the like through their twinbond.   
  
But Fred had shut him – his own twin – out then and there, and seemingly showed his true colors. George hadn't been able to read his thoughts, but the brief sinister smirk that had crossed his twin's face after reading aloud the rule about only one Head Boy was enough. He'd been used; led to believe he was loved as an equal, a partner in crime; when it was all a plot of Fred's to gain power for himself.   
  
Yet at the same time those thoughts of betrayal crossed his mind, a voice deep inside was screaming, "Don't be so blind you prat! This isn't what it looks like!" Part of George wanted to believe - longed to believe - but it was difficult when all the evidence pointed otherwise. He was utterly confused and in pain, both physically and emotionally.  
  
As he let out a soft moan, George felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. "Forge..."  
  
"Go away, _Bighead Boy_." George said flatly, not bothering to so much as lift his head. Fred winced at the moniker they'd bewitched onto Percy's old badge back in their Fifth Year. "You obviously don't need your 'lesser half' now that you've risen to power."  
  
Fred crossed the threshold, shut the door, and knelt down in front of his scowling brother. "What on Earth are you talking about?" He asked, lifting George's head up so their eyes met. Now he was the one being shut out. For the first time he was unable to fully read his twin's expression.  
  
The arm was pulled down shortly before George withdrew his hand. "You know damn well what I'm talking about! I saw that look on your face when you read the rule about only one Head Boy and Girl per year! Your shutting me out only confirmed things."  
  
"I didn't mean to, I was just focused on getting through that ruddy letter! As for the smirk that rule gave me an idea; I just didn't want to look suspicious by pausing to tell you." Knowing what the next question would be, he continued as George started to open his mouth. "We're still equals, we always have been and always will be. No stupid badge is going to change that. That's what I tried to say when you cut me off before. Which brings me to my next point: my idea. Think about it: the only 'difference' between us right now is which twin wears the badge, right?"   
  
"Right..." He stopped concentrating on blocking his thoughts, and his scowl slowly morphed into an evil grin to match Fred's as the idea in full flowed across the renewed connection. "D'you think it'll work? The teachers know there's two of us."  
  
"Georgie, Georgie, Georgie, our own Mum can't tell us apart most of the time, and that's saying something! They'll never know!"  
  
"Rules _were_ made to be broken-"   
  
"-especially by us!" The pair sniggered.   
  
"It'll be our second-biggest secret, we can't tell _anyone_ or we're done for. Not Lee-"  
  
"Not the girls-"  
  
"You're one to talk, I saw you and Angelina at the Ball last year!" George teased as they stood up.  
  
Fred blushed a little, then smirked. "And I suppose you and Katie are 'just friends,' hmm?"  
  
Now both of them were looking more than a bit pink in the face, and cracked up at each other's expressions. "You know me too well." The arguement came to mind again, and George pulled his twin into a tight bear hug. "Oh Gred, how could I have ever doubted you?"  
  
Fred returned the embrace. "It's all right Forge, you just overreacted before you knew what was really going on. I probably would've reacted the same way."   
  
He rubbed a hand along his twin's back, and George rested his head on Fred's shoulder. For several minutes they just stood there, holding each other, both feeling whole again. The pain within had long since vanished.  
  
Abruptly, there was knock at the door, and they immediately split apart. If anyone saw that the incident had been so easily resolved, they might suspect a plot. And the twins were not about to blow their greatest prank before it could even begin.  
  
"You two alive in there?" Bill's voice called from just beyond the door.  
  
"Yeah," Fred answered in a fake half-hearted voice as he picked up the envelope and tossed it to George. He then put the camera on their desk and deliberately sat down on the wrong bed. '_Might as well start now._'  
  
"-we're fine," George added quickly in the same tone, flopping down on the vacant bed next to the left wall. He fiddled with the badge that had started it all. '_Let the games begin!_'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Notes: Kudos to everyone who's reviewed so far! And now for a bit of commentary on the reviews thus far:  
  
**Kujelia:** "_Okay, how could he be Head Boy without being a Prefect?_"  
-Good question, I honestly haven't figured that out yet. I was in one of my weird "What If..." moods when the story idea first came to me.   
  
**Squiglet8:** "_...The idea is really original and unusual._"   
-Thanks, that's part of what I was going for. Fanfics like this one kinda reflect my at times bizarre imagination. As suggested above, I like to play "What If...?" a lot for the hell of it, and a handful of fanfics I've posted (HP and otherwise) are the results.  
  
**Tintalle HalfHolbytla:** "_That's so sad!_"  
-Yeah, I know, but as you can see things got better. I can't bear to split up my beloved Twinsies for good.  
  
**baby309blue:** "_i really like this story! can u please finish it soon!!!!!!!!!_"  
-I'm glad you like it, but it's far from over. One can't just say, "Oh, Fred Weasley somehow wound up as Head Boy, had a fight with George, made up, all Hell broke loose at Hogwarts*, The End." There's no fun in that! Updates should be regular though, I've got part of Chapter 4 done, and some ideas for later on. 

*Not that I'm saying it will or won't, you'll just have to wait and see! ;) 


	4. A Bit of Advice

Switching Hour  
Miranda Shadowind 

"On your birthday, …let me give you a bit of advice Mom once told me.  
I sure as heck won't be using it!"  
-Greeting Card 

A/N: Stupid writer's block… Ah well here's Chapter 4 at last, longer as compensation. Dunno if the quote's completely accurate, I can't find the damned card to check. Spread the good news! Order of the Phoenix'll finally be out on June 21st!!!! WHOOHOO!!! Nevertheless, even if I don't finish this story by then, I'll continue. It's AUish in its own right, after all. 

Chapter 4: A Bit of Advice 

Out in the hall, Bill breathed a sigh of relief. Good, the twins hadn't knocked each other senseless, although Percy would claim they had no sense to be knocked out in the first place. Neither sounded happy, but then Bill couldn't blame them. The badge's arrival had been a complete shock for the pair, whose main joys in life seemed to be breaking rules and wrecking havoc. 

Not that Bill had been an absolute stickler for rules and regulations in his final year like Percy had. But unlike Fred and George, the eldest Weasley brother hadn't had a complete disregard for that which he was supposed to uphold. 

The continued silence that had followed the yelling on the fourth landing had given their parents another reason to worry. Bill had volunteered to bring up breakfast as an excuse to check on his younger brothers. Not that he needed one, but he figured that some advice from a former Head Boy might ease the conflict. Advice from Percy would only make matters worse, so it was up to Bill to console the twins first. He shifted the tray of food to one arm and slowly opened the door ("Gred and Forge's Room, Enter At Your Own Risk"). 

The room was in its usual state of organized chaos: clothes strewn all over the place, random objects and bits of parchment scattered about the carpet, which was half-covered in burn and splotch marks. A partially spilled bag of dungbombs lay on the desk next to Fred's camera, undoubtedly abandoned just before Percy's latest victimization. Underneath the camera was a large dark brown album with green lettering on it that he couldn't discern. 

The twins were perched on the front edges of their beds, sulking and facing away from each other. The trunk on Bill's left read "F. W.," while the right trunk read "G. W." Across the carpet between their beds, up both walls, and even on the ceiling was a magically drawn red line. 

Bill had no clue of the irony represented by that simple line, but hated to see Fred and George divided like this, it just wasn't right. They were individuals, and yet most of the time they functioned as a unit, a team. You rarely saw one without the other, and when you did it usually meant one twin was in great peril or they were planning something big that required splitting up. 

"Breakfast anyone?" Before either boy could respond, their stomachs answered for them in identical complaint. Between harassing Percy, the badge, and what had followed, breakfast had been completely forgotten. 

The only other response was silent shrugging, so Bill heaved a sigh and handed over the trays, which were immediately scrutinized. "George" stole a glance at "Fred's" breakfast and scowled even more. "Hey! How come he's got a grapefruit and I don't?!" 

"George you're allergic to grapefruit, remember?" 

The elder boy's head was turned, so he didn't see the real George nudge the sour fruit away with his fork, silently panicking. Said allergy was one of the more subtle differences between them, one that could expose the plan if they didn't act fast. 

Fred realized this immediately, having momentarily forgotten in his attempt to portray an overzealous version of his beloved twin. "Are you sure? I always thought it was him! I'm always treated second best, it's not fair!" 

"You want it? You can have it!" George picked up the grapefruit with a napkin and hurled it at Fred, who ducked and let it splat on the dresser mirror behind him. 

"Oh yeah?! Take this!" Fred threw a piece of marmalade-d toast at George. He laughed as it slid down his brother's angry face. 

George growled and loaded a small handful of scrambled egg onto his spoon. He bent the spoon back, then let go, catapulting the eggs across the gap and hitting Fred between the eyes. 

The food fight would have continued if Bill hadn't stepped between the beds yelling "Enough, both of you!!!" This didn't save him from being hit on both sides with food particles, however. 

"Whoops…" 

However, instead of blowing up like their mother might have, Bill simply sighed and shook his head. "It doesn't have to be this way you know." He put the messy food trays aside and stood in front of the nightstand so he could keep an eye on both twins. 

"Of course it does! He's been using me to gain power all these years! Just look where it got him!" Fred insisted, going off of George's earlier accusations. 

"I have not! You just don't get it, do you?!" George, sensing the direction his twin was leading the conversation, went along with the "renewed" argument, swapped roles aside. 

"Look George, I don't know why Dumbledore chose Fred to be Head Boy either. But as an ex-Head Boy I DO know that it's not all about power and responsibility," Bill stated, sitting down next to Fred. 

Fred cracked a faint smile. "Try telling Percy that." 

"Seriously, though, it doesn't mean a big emotional change is required." On a lighter note, he added, "Plus just think of all the points you can take off of Slytherin! Though I wouldn't abuse that power TOO much…" 

"Mmm, right…" George. '_I almost forgot about that! We'll show Snape not to favor his bitches!_' 

'_Oh yes, Potions is about to have a point war on its hands._' 

The two grinned devilishly at each other for a moment, then George resumed and twisted the subterfuge by making an ugly, teasing face at Fred, who scowled. Again, they faced away from one another. 

Bill smacked his forehead and moved toward the other bed. Just when he seemed to be making progress, Fred had had a change of heart and decided to flaunt his new power after all! He'd never understand those two… 

"And here I thought you wanted to make amends, but that's not helping one bit," he told George. "Mum's really worried about all this, you know." 

"Really now?" Fred asked in an annoyed tone, arching an eyebrow. "Seems to me she was proud that one of her 'hellion' twins seemed to have secretly deviated from his normal behavior pattern." 

"You act like I asked for all this, which I didn't!" George snapped. 

"Come on, can't you two at least be civil with each other?" Bill put a hand on each of their shoulders. "This whole badge thing doesn't have to change your relationship, you can still pull pranks together. Just try not to bring the entire school system down in the process." He looked at Fred again. "As for the equality issue, maybe you'll get picked to be Quidditch Captain. It's not the same, but at least it's SOME power…" 

"True…" Fred bent his head in thought. 

So did George, mostly to hide his evil grin. '_Bwaha! TWO more ways to keep Slytherin on their toes! Oliver Wood eat your heart out!_' After all, there wasn't much of a reason for him not to be picked for the position, as Quidditch skills were quite prominent in the Weasley bloodline. Charlie and the twins were living proof of that. 

'_Hell yeah! Got to keep up Gryffindor's winning streaks after all._' 

'_Streak…_' 

Fred bit back a laugh as the more perverse meaning of the word came to mind. A smile was still noticeable, and Bill returned it, mistaking it for a sign that he'd finally gotten through to his younger brother. "There, that's better. Now are you two ready to kiss and make up?" 

The twins looked at each other, then at Bill as if he'd gone mad. 

"I don't swing that way!" George cried indignantly. 

"Neither do I!" agreed Fred. 

Bill groaned. "You know what I meant!" 

"Right." Both got up and advanced toward one another, only to be separated by a red transparent barrier that suddenly appeared, generated by the red line. '_Forgot about this stupid thing._' 

'_You nix it, otherwise Mr. Councilor over there might get suspicious._' Their eldest brother had jumped back in surprise and crashed onto the bed. 

"_Finite Incantato!_" The barrier faded, red line and all. 

Bill sat up, dazed from what had unexpectedly happened, but grinned when he saw his brothers in a loose embrace. "That's the Twinsies I know." He glanced around at the newer mess caused by the food fight. "Let's get this cleaned up. Mum wants to head to Diagon Alley today for school supplies, if you're up for it." 

"New robes for both of us?" Fred queried, nibbling on what remained of his breakfast. 

"Of course." Anything to keep the peace. "You two need Graduation Robes anyway since it's your last year at Hogwarts." 

"Ah…" 

The food quickly disappeared by one means or another, and Bill left the room to tell the others that the conflict had been resolved. Little did he realize that his "reasoning" only helped their latest scheme along. 

"Glad that's finally over." George reached under his bed and fished out a heavy sack of Galleons – Harry's more than generous donation to the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes fund. The Boy Who Lived's one request regarding the gold's use came to mind. "D'ya reckon Ron'd look good in fuschia?" 

Both twins laughed, but Fred shook his head. "Both he AND Harry would kill us. Besides, he'd shame the family name if he looked like a drag queen at this year's Yule Ball." More laughter. 

"See what I mean?" Bill asked his mother. She had come upstairs to investigate only to meet her eldest son on the second landing. Therefore, the laughter overhead was quite audible. "They've made up." 

"I hope you're right dear…" Mrs. Weasley replied warily. 


End file.
